The Duel
James Bond 007: The Duel (known as 007 Shitō in Japan) is a 1993 James Bond action platform video game. It was developed by The Kremlin and published by Domark in two different versions - a 16-Bit version for Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis and an 8-Bit variant for their Master System video game console, and Game Gear handheld game console. Plot Prior to the game's events, an insane professor hijacks a clandestine satellite launch center on a remote island in the Caribbean. Having taken control of the scientists he sets to work building satellites which he plans to launch into space on a shuttle, as part of his scheme for world domination. In a bid to prevent James Bond from stopping him, the professor built a cloning machine to replicate the spy's previous enemies and holds hostages around the island as human shields. Gameplay Armed with a pistol (and a limited supply of grenades in the 16-Bit variant), the player controls James Bond through various side-scrolling enemy bases to rescue female hostages. In the 16-Bit variant, 007 must also arm a bomb at the end of each level and find the exit before it detonates. Along the way, Bond must battle numerous thugs and familiar bosses cloned from his former adversaries. While they share the same theme and similar art assets, the Sega Mega Drive version has completely different stage layouts from the Master System and Game Gear versions. The game has a rudimentary physics system, giving the player a feeling of weight and impact. For example, bullet impacts stagger the character and falling from high places results in instant death. Levels *'Level #1 - Ship': Bond boards a ship moored at the island's docks via jetpack (Gen/MD) or speed boat from a British naval frigate (MS,GG). The ship is described variously as a supply ship (Gen/MD) or the Professor's shuttle-fuel research ship (MS,GG). The level boss is Jaws. *'Level #2 Jungle': 007 proceeds through the jungle to destroy the island's satellite receiving station (Gen/MD) or power station (MS,GG) and enters the volcano. The level boss is 'Bones' (presumably Baron Samedi) and a tank. *'Level #3 Volcano': Described as an artificial volcano concealing the shuttle launch controls (MS,GG) and a volcanic heat exchange reactor (Gen/MD). The level boss is 'Yoyo' (presumably May Day). *'Level #4 Launch facility': The shuttle bay is described similarly in both versions and involves scaling the outside of the shuttle whilst avoiding falling or being seared by heat from the spacecraft's engines. The 8-Bit version eschews a final boss battle in favor of a timed segment where Bond must rescue hostages before he is overcome by radiation poisoning. The 16-Bit has Oddjob as its first boss, concluding with the Professor in a vehicle. *'Level #5 Space-shuttle' (16-Bit only): In the 16-Bit version there is a final boss battle with Jaws aboard the shuttle. He utilizes a claw-equipped levitating vehicle which drops grenades and (occasionally) ammunition. Characters Bond_-_The_Duel.png|James Bond|link=James Bond (Timothy Dalton) Jaws_-_The_Duel.png|Jaws|link=Jaws Bones_-_The_Duel.png|Bones|link=Baron Samedi May_Day_-_The_Duel.png|May Day|link=May Day Oddjob_-_The_Duel.png|Oddjob|link=Oddjob Professor_-_The_Duel.png|Professor Gravemar/Greypen|link=Professor Gravemar/Greypen Behind the scenes The game is notable among Bond games for a number of reasons. Although it was released 4 years after Timothy Dalton's last outing as James Bond in Licence to Kill (1989), his likeness is used in the game, most notably the opening screens, thus making it Dalton's last appearance as 007. It was also the final Bond game to be released by Domark. It was also the first Bond game not to be directly based on a movie or novel; instead featuring an original storyline. Though the game's storyline was not its strong point, it did blaze a trail for future licence-holders Electronic Arts, half of whose Bond output would be based on original storylines. One previous Bond game, James Bond 007: The Stealth Affair (released in Europe as Operation Stealth), included an original storyline but the game was originally based on a generic Bond-style character named John Glames and only had the 007 licence added for its North American release. Media Images The_Duel_(Gen-MD)_-_closing_screen.png|The closing screen (Mega Drive/Genesis variant). The_Duel_(Gen-MD)_-_final_boss.png|Jaws, the final boss (Mega Drive/Genesis variant). The_Duel_(Gen-MD)_-_penultimate_boss.png|Penultimate boss (Mega Drive/Genesis variant). The_Duel_(Gen-MD)_-_Rescuing_a_jungle_hostage.png| Videos James Bond the duel stage 1 and 2(megadrive) Trivia *Like many games of its era, both the 8-Bit and 16-Bit versions of The Duel mirror the James Bond sprite for memory size and efficiency reasons. Consequently, Bond is ambidextrous in The Duel and noticeably passes his firearm from one hand to the other when changing direction. His PPK is always in the hand furthest from the viewer. References Category:James Bond video games Category:Platforming games Category:Domark Software